RESPONSIBLE DECLARATION OF THE SELLER REGARDING THE ABSENCE OF ARREARS ON UTILITY PAYMENTS (ΚΟΙΝΟΧΡΗΣΤΑ) - AS A MANDATORY CONDITION OF A REAL ESTATE SALE TRANSACTION IN GREECE

The Federation of Property Owners of Greece has appealed to the Minister of Justice of Greece with a request to legally oblige real estate sellers to provide the notary, before signing the real estate sale agreement, with a written responsible declaration stating that they are not debtors in relation to utility payments (κοινόχρηστα). As stated in the petition, the main issue for the managers of multi-apartment buildings (whether companies or individuals) is the refusal of some residents, i.e. owners or tenants, to pay their utility bills.

Unfortunately, the number of debtors is constantly increasing, as legal proceedings over utility payments are a lengthy process with disproportionate financial costs compared to the unpaid amounts by the debtors. Moreover, in the case of a transfer of property rights, the new owner is not responsible for the debts of the previous owner. As a result, if there is an outstanding debt from the previous owner, their payment obligations typically fall on the other residents of the multi-apartment building. Consequently, conflicts and disagreements arise among the residents, putting the further functioning of the building at risk.

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